SUCCESS COACHES
At Meredith, we’re committed to helping all students discover their strengths and develop a plan for college that prepares them for the life they want to live.
Meredith College launched a new Success Coach program in Fall 2022 to further help students thrive throughout their college years and graduate on time.
“Having someone specifically assigned to you in order to help you through everything is very comforting and motivating.”
How it Works
The Success Coach program helps ensure all students have the individualized support needed to succeed, both in college and after graduation.
Whether students connect with their mentor through a particular program, such as Honors or Teaching Fellows, or are assigned a Success Coach, all students will have a knowledgeable guide to help them transition to college and thrive throughout their four years.
In order to support students individually, Success Coaches
engage with students regularly through intentional conversations
connect students with essential services that provide specific support
help them make good choices and overcome obstacles
provide general information and serve as mentors and confidants
use a strengths-based advising and personal coaching approach, guided by Meredith’s StrongPoints® initiative
Meet our Success Coaches
He/Him
Learning Specialist & Tutoring Coordinator, Student Success Center
Strengths:
Context, Harmony, Connectedness, Includer, Consistency
He/Him
Student Success Coach, Student Success Center
Strengths:
Relator, Competition, Maximizer, Futuristic, Ideation
Comments from Participants in the Success Coach Pilot Program
“I found it helpful to know that I have another resource on campus that I can go to if I need help with something.”
“I ran into a problem while registering for classes so I contacted my Success Coach and she responded super-fast and helped me!”
Questions & Answers
The Success Coach program gives students a go-to person for any issue they may face during their time at Meredith. Success Coaches proactively support students by staying in touch with frequent communication designed to keep students informed and engaged.
Success Coaches connect regularly with students to answer questions, connect them with resources, and help them create a plan for their college experience. A student’s Success Coach provides consistent support and guidance throughout their time at Meredith. Success Coaches are also highly proactive; they communicate directly with students and engage a variety of support services on campus to provide a “web of support.”
All students receive individualized mentoring. Some students receive that guidance through their involvement with programs such as Honors or Teaching Fellows. We think every student deserves that kind of support, which is why we’re adding Success Coaches.
Much like StrongPoints®, the Success Coach program is provided at no additional cost.
Success Coaching has been researched extensively and its positive effects are well documented. It has been shown to have a positive impact on
- retention and graduation rates
- students’ GPAs
- time management
- study skills
- self-awareness
- goal-setting and achievement
Success Coaches also help students think about their college experience holistically, begin thinking about majors and careers sooner, and successfully navigate the logistics of college, which is particularly important for first-generation students.
The primary role of a Success Coach is to mentor and guide students. In contrast, faculty advisors typically have other roles such as teaching or other administrative duties. In addition, Success Coaches are assigned to students throughout their four years of college; faculty advisors may change if students change majors. Faculty advisors interact with students in a more limited timeframe to help them select and register for courses to meet their academic requirements, while Success Coaches guide students throughout the semester on a variety of topics.
